It is a well-known phenomenon that socks get lost from their mates. Whether in the washing machine, in the sock drawer, or while transporting laundry to and from the laundromat, socks seem to disappear. Moreover, because it is common to own a number of socks of similar, but not necessarily identical, color and/or pattern, it is often necessary to spend a significant amount of time and energy matching socks after they are laundered. It is clear that a method and device for keeping a pair of socks together would be advantageous. A number of solutions have been proposed.
For example, International Application No. WO 91/04684 describes a sock fastening system for fastening together a pair of socks. The system described in the '684 application includes an elastic strip that is attached to the body of one of the socks. The elastic strip forms an expandable loop through which the other sock may be threaded. The strip is formed separately from the sock itself and is simply attached to the sock during manufacture by stitching each end of the strip to the sock.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,420 describes a fastener for fastening pairs of clothing items, such as socks, together. The fastener described in the '420 patent includes a first fastening element having at least one fastening projection in a center region, and a second fastening element having at least one opening for receiving the fastening projection. The projection of the first fastening element projects through a cut-out in a first textile label sewn to the first sock. The opening of the second fastening element also projects through a cut-out in a textile label sewn to the second sock.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,169 describes a device for sorting and storing socks. The device described in the '169 patent includes male and female clamping elements that can be fit together. The clamping elements include marks or other indicia to indicate ownership, color and original match.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,158 describes a clip assembly for matching socks to prevent the socks from being separated. The clip assembly described in the '158 patent includes a pair of dovetailed tongue and groove panels that can be joined by sliding the tongues on a first panel into the grooves on the other panel. The panels are attached to the exterior surface of each sock by a pin that penetrates the sock fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,751 describes releasably engagable socks having a connecting device. The connecting device described in the '751 patent includes a pair of socks, with each sock having a pair of snap-type or Velcro® hook and loop fasteners attached to the sock. The fasteners may be used to join the two socks to each other, or folded upon themselves. The sock may include a patch that covers the fasteners on the inside, to make the sock more comfortable for the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,241 describes a fastener for keeping a pair of socks together. The fastener described in the '241 patent includes a snap fastener which may be received by a recess in a receptor plate. The snap fastener and receptor plate are each formed from a pair of plates that are attached to each other, through the sock, by a snap press fit. A flexible strap may attach the front and back of each of the plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,294 describes a fastener for mating pairs of clothing items. Each fastener is a snap fastener having a male part, a female part, and two securing parts. Each securing part has a set of prongs, which extend through the material of a tab and the sock. The prongs deform to attach the securing part to the rim of the corresponding male or female part.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,590 describes a pair of socks including a connector adapted to attach the socks together. The connector described in the '590 patent includes first and second members that can be attached to each other on opposite sides of a region of sock fabric. The connectors may include regions that can be marked with indicia.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,524 describes a pair of socks that may be joined together in a detachable fashion. The fastener described in the '524 patent may be a transparent snap having elements, which are woven, sewn, or pasted onto the leg portions of the respective socks. In the alternative, the snaps (which may also be hooks, or hook and loop Velcro® fasteners) may be attached to straps that are knitted into the leg portion of the sock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,318 describes an attachment device for clothing items. The attachment device includes a pair of tabs formed from a strip of cloth or other material. Each tab includes a section of hook fastening elements and a section of loop fastening elements. The tabs can be folded over on themselves while the sock is being worn, and fastened to each other at other times.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,558 describes a device for attaching clothing articles together. The device described in the '558 patent includes a flexible strip stitched to the edge of each of a pair of socks. Each flexible strip includes a releasable fastening means such as a snap type fastener, which allows the two strips, and therefore socks, to be joined together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,541 describes a fastener for keeping socks together. The fastener described in the '541 patent includes a sock having a tab attached along the edge of the sock. The tab and sock have, on adjacent surfaces, a complementary arrangement of hook and pile patches that can mate with each other so that the tab can be folded down on itself when the sock is being worn and the tabs can be mated to each other at other times.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,413 describes a sock-fastening device. The fastening device described in the '413 patent includes a pair of socks including a first sock and a second sock secured together by a snap-type fastening means. The snap-type fastening means includes a first fastener having a generally circular part providing a projection and a second fastener having a generally circular part providing a hole. When not joined to each other, each fastener may be adapted to receive a cover that provides a decorative appearance when the socks are being worn, and may be used to indicate that the two socks are a pair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,853 describes a securing method for keeping socks together. The '853 patent describes a pair of socks having a pair of fastener patches. The fastener patches are formed of a flexible material such as Velcro® hook and pile (or hook and loop) fasteners. The patches may be sewn on to the socks, coated with a thermoplastic and ironed on, or glued on with epoxy cement. The hook patch may have a cover to prevent the path from sticking to the wearer's pants or trousers.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,413 describes a method for holding socks in pairs for laundering. Each sock includes a band, which encircles the cuff and is loosely secured thereto by a series of spaced loops, which extend over the band and are secured to the cuff of the sock. The loops may be embroidered on the socks after knitting, or formed during the knitting of the socks. A retaining strip including a plurality of loops and is adapted to encircle the bands of a pair of socks and keep the socks together. The band additionally acts as a garter and a guide for folding the cuff.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,877 describes a fastener for keeping socks together. As shown above, the fastener includes a small piece of tape, which is stitched or otherwise secured to a sock. A snap fastener or other connecter is affixed to the tape. In the alternative, the connector (usually a male to female type of connector) may be secured directly to the sock.
In each of these prior art methods and devices, the fasteners are formed from distinguishable material that gives the socks an unsightly and non-uniform appearance. Furthermore, those prior art devices and methods that rely on a patch, cap, or cover, to create a smooth appearance when the socks are being worn, require that the user not lose the patch, cap or cover while the socks are joined together. Moreover, during vigorous washing, as might be encountered in a washing machine, the socks which are attached at a single point with a button, snap, hook and loop fastener, or the like may become so entangled with other clothing items that the forces encountered during washing separate the socks from each other. Finally, a number of the above-described prior art methods and devices rely on hook and loop fasteners, hooks, pins, etc., which may snag, pull, or otherwise harm knits or other fabrics.
The advantages of the present invention will be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description.